Sterilizer.



PATENTBDJUNE 27, 1905.

I J. s. FORBES.

STERILIZER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1 /M MMa zzzdliiiw No. 798,517 PATENTED JUNE 27, 1905.

J. S. FORBES.

STERILIZER.

APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 27 1904,

3 SHEETSSHEET 2v PATENTED JUNE 27, 1905.

J. S. FORBES.

STERILIZER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

u m m r NITED STATES Patented J'une 2'7, 1905.

JOHN S. FORBES, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

STERILIZER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,517, dated June 27, 1905.

Application filed February 27, 1904:. Serial No. 195,566.

To a, whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN S. FORBES, acitizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Sterilizers, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide an eliicicnt sterilizer in which the possibility of communication between the compartments for raw and sterilized fluids shall be reduced to a minimum.

A further object is to govern the level of the raw liquid by apparatus actuated by said liquid after it has been heated to acertain extent, but before it has been sterilized.

It is also desired to provide an improved combination of parts such as may be taken apart with the utmost convenience for purthe raw liquid over the weir shall be impossible even though the supply-controlling means should fail to operate at the proper time.

These objects I attain as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved sterilizer, showing the various parts as arranged in their normal positions. Fig.

-2 is a sectional elevation of the sterilizer, showing some of the parts swung out of their normal positions in order that their structure may be more clearly illustrated, the fuel reservoir and burner being omitted for the sake of clearness. Fig. 3 is-a sectional elevation of a special form of the device for controlling the supply of raw liquid, and Fig. 4: is a perspective view of the structure shown in Fig. 3.

In the abovedrawings, A is a supportingbase, to which is fixed a cylindrical casing A, having a dished bottom a and an inwardlyprojecting head (4', provided with openings,

into which are sweated a series of tubes (0 whose opposite ends are also sweated into a tube-sheet a", forming part of a receptacle a Screwed into the bottom of this receptacle is a tubular piece a, closed at its lower end and provided with projectionsa, by which it may be turned. A tube 6 is provided with an enlarged portion, through which passes the part a, and this latter is provided with a series of holes a opening into said tube. This tube, whose outer end is provided with a cap I), has connected to it a vertical tube 1), which is coupled to a casing B, screwed into a projecting boss a of the vessel, formed by the head a of the casing A, said boss passing through a fluid-tight joint in the side of said casing. A coupling 6 unites the tube If to the casing B, and this latter is provided with a cap 1/, into which is screwed a nipple I)" for the attachment of a flexible hose I). Said cap has an inwardly-extending portion closed at the end and having holes 6" through its side, there being a movable sleeve 6 fitting over this portion for controlling theflow of fluid from said openings. A stem 6 extends through the sides of the casings B and A into the interior of the vessel formed by the dished head a and has connected to it one arm of a lever C, fulcrumed to the inside of said vessel a at 0. This lever is provided with two relatively long arms 0', bent into a U shape and pivoted at c to a light metal float 0, preferably of a cylindrical form.

Just above the bottom of the casing A is an opening for the connection of a casting (Z, extending around the tube 72 and having a cap cl of such size and construction that it could not possibly be used in place of the cap 6, above which it is placed. Extending from the casting d to a second casting (i fastened to the side of the casing A, is a tube (V, surrounding the tube 7), it being noted that said latter tube passes through the casting d", which is provided with an outlet-pipe d. A nut a is threaded onto a boss projecting from the lower portion of the receptacle (6, so as to confine the bottom a of the casing A between it and said receptacle. The section a similarly confines the enlarged end of the tube Z) between itself and the end of said boss, there being washers l, 2, and 3 between the above- I side of the casing A and is slotted at its end mentioned parts for makingliquid-tight connections. A second boss (0 projects from the head a through the side of the casing A and has threaded to it a tubular projection from a cup E, provided with a lip for the overflow of fluid.

Connected to the interior of the casing A near its top is a pipe f, leading from the bottom of a vessel F, which has a cover f, there being within said vessel an upwardly-projecting tubular section f through which extends a pipe f threaded at its upper end and held in position by the nut f. The lower portion f. of this pipe is bent at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees to the remainder and has at its end a cap f there being a pipe 0' connecting this end with the bottom of the cup E.

A casing f extends from the bottom of the I vessel E around the vertical part of the pipe f, as well as a portion of the inclined party" thereof, and it will be noted that said pipe is provided with vanes f or other form of extended surface for exposure to the flame or hot gases delivered by a burner Ur. This latter is supported immediately beneath the easing f by means of its fuel-supply pipe 9,

' which projects from a reservoir H, carried upon the base A of the sterilizer.

A lug it is permanently fastened to the outfor the reception of a sleeve h, surrounding the pump-rod if. A wing-nut It is screwed on a threaded portion of this lug a, so as to retain the receptacle H rigidly in position.

" It will be understood that said receptacle contains an air-pump, of which the rod and handle are shown at h; but 'as this is a structure well known in the art I have not shown or described it in detail.

The burner (Jr may be of any desired type, and in the present instance consists of the pipe 9, extending through a burner-tube g and having on its outside end a vapor-jet nozzle 9 This nozzle is provided with a downwardly-' opening orifice, in line with which is acurved mixing-tube g, bent so as to discharge vapor into the interior of the tube g. It will be noted that the burner Gr directs its flame against a portion of the pipe f some distance above its lower end, and by this means there is produced but a single upwardly-flowingcurrent of liquid, and that through the pipe f There is also fastened to the base A a receptacle J, in which are kept supplies and tools needed for the operation and maintenance of my device.

In operation liquid to be sterilized enters the nipple 5" through the tube 6* and if the float 0 be in its lowermost position flows out of the uncovered openings 6" into the interior of the small casing B, from here passing rise in this vessel until the float 0 has been raised to such a height as to cause thesleeve b to be moved over the openings 6 thereby cutting off the supply of liquid. It will be understood that this level is high enough to permit the fluid to enter the cup E and to flow through the pipe 0 into the pipe f to a corresponding level. If now the burner be set in operation, so as 'to heat the pipe f, the relatively small body of fluid within said pipe will be quickly raised to the boilingpoint and will boil over the weir formed by the edge of said pipe f into the vessel F. From here the still hot sterile liquid will pass through the pipe f, so as to fill the space in the casing A, surrounding the tubes (4 as well as the tube 6 to the level of the dischargetube d. During this operation heat will be transferred from the sterilized liquid to the cold raw liquid within the tubes 5 and (4 so that the incoming liquid within the head a is at a relatively high temperature-2l 0., not far from the boiling-point. Consequently the float 0 which controls the supply of raw liquid, is actuated not by the cold liquid but by the hot expanded liquid just before it passes to the boiling-tube and after it has received the heat from the outgoing sterilized liquid. By this arrangement of parts I am enabled to materially reduce the vertical height of the sterilizer, since if the float be placed as is customary in the raw unheated liquid the column of heated liquid against which it is balanced is materially longer and therefore requires a tube or casing of correspondingly-increased length. If, as hitherto, thefloat be placed with the cold raw liquid, it is necessary. even in a moderate size machine. to place the weir from three to four inches above the cold-water level in order to prevent the continued flow of water through the apparatus, which would otherwise occur for some time after the source of heat had been out 01f. In other words, a relatively large change of level of the heated column of liq uid is necessary before the length of the cold column will change sufficiently to operate a float-controlled valve placed therein. In addition to the above it will be noted that it is possible to construct the apparatus much more compactly than would be the case if the float were contained in an enlarged casing at one side of the casing A. The lip e of the cup E is at a level above the normal level (indicated by the line 00 m) of fluid within the receptacle a, but is below the level of the weir formed by the pipe f so that if for any reason the float and its attached parts fail to cut off the supply of raw liquid this cannot possibly rise to such height as to flow into the vessel]? and the parts connected thereto, but will overflow from the cup E.

As far as possible the various parts of the apparatus are so arranged that in case of leakage raw liquid cannot flow directly into the space for sterilized liquid, it beingnecessary for such flow to take place through two joints a, through one joint to the atmosphere and from thence through the second joint into the space for sterilized liquid.- The exception to this construction is found in the joints between the tubes (f and the tube-sheets into which they enter; but as these parts are permanentlysweated together and are tested before the apparatus is put in use leakage between them is unknown.

It will be noted that the tube closed by the cap (1 is vertically above that closed by the cap I), so that there can be no possibility for unsterilized liquid to drip or otherwise flow into the opening leading to the compartment for sterilized liquid.

If desired, 1 may employ the mechanism shown in Figs. 3 and 4 in place of that shown in Fig. 2 for controlling the supply of raw liquid, there being in such case an arm o rigidly lixed to the float 0 and pivoted at c to the slotted end of that portion of the part B which is screwed into the boss a For the rod 6 is substituted a rod 7/", pinned to arm 0 at 0 above the fulcrum c and carrying on the outer end a valve 7), coacting with a seat formed in the inner end of the cap 7)". As in the case of the rod 7/, the rise or fall of the float 0 causes corresponding longitudinal motion of the rod 5 and consequently causes the valve thereon to cut off or permit flow of liquid into the sterilizer.

While in the foregoing description I have referred to the body of liquid in the apparatus betwecn the source of supply and the weir as being raw, it is to be noted that by the time this has reached the vessel (0 it may be practically sterile. The term raw, however, has for the sake of convenience been applied to theliquid under treatment before it has passed over the weir.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination in a sterilizer of a weir, a heat-exchange having one compartment connected to one side of said weir and to a source of fluid-supply, the second compartment of said heat-exchange being connected to the other side of the weir, with means actuated by raw liquid in active circulation after its passage through the heat-exchange for controlling the supply of said liquid, substantiall y as described.

2. The combination in a sterilizer of a weir, a heat-exchange connected thereto and means for maintaining raw liquid at a predetermined level below the weir, said means being actuated by said raw liquid in active circulation after its passage through the heat-exchange, substantially as described.

3. The combination in a sterilizer of a weir, a heat-e. :chan; e,- a valve for controlling the flow of raw liquid thereto and a float for operating said valve placed to be acted upon by sides connected respectively to the two compartments of said vessel, a float placed to operate in circulating liquid after its passage through one of said compartments and before it has passed the weir, with means connected to the float for controlling the flow of liquid from the source of supply, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a heat-exchange having one of its compartments connected to a source of supply for liquid, a weir, a container connected in the fluid-circuit between one side of the weir and one compartment of the heatexchange, a valve controlling the supply of raw liquid and a float in said container operative on said valve, substantially as described.

6. The combination in a sterilizer of a heatexchange having one compartment connected to a source of fluid-supply, a weir connected to said heat-exchange, means for automat-' ically maintaining the level of raw liquid below that of the weir and a device interposed between the weir and the heat-exchange for permitting discharge of raw liquid rising above said level, substantially as described.

7. The combination in a sterilizer of a heatexchange having one compartment connected to a source of fluid-supply, a weir connected to said heat-exchange, means for automatically maintaining raw liquid at a level below that of the weir, and a container interposed between the weir and the heat-exchangchaving a portion at a level above said level for raw liquid and below the level of the weir, substantially as described.

8. The combination in asterilizer of a heatexchange, a weir and. means for operatively connecting said two structures said means including a bent conduit, with means for heat-- ing one portion of said conduit above its lower point, substantially as described.

9. The combination in a sterilizer of a heatexchange, a weir, and means for operatively connecting said tWo structures, said means in cluding a substantially U-shaped conduit with means for applying heat to one of the limbs thereof at some distance above its bottom, substantially as described.

10. The combination in a sterilizer of a heat-exchange, a weir, and means for operatively connecting said two structures, said means including a substantially U-shaped conduit with means for applying heat to one of the limbs thereofat some distance above its bottom, there being a cap-closed opening in said conduit adjacent to said botttom, substantially as described.

11. The combination in a sterilizer of a vessel having a conduit extending into it to a level above its bottom, said conduit having a portion bent at an angle to the portion entering said vessel, a heat-exchange connected to said conduit With means for applying heat to the part of the conduit between the bent portion and the vessel, substantially as described.

12. The combination in a sterilizer of a heat-exchange, a Weir, a conduit connecting the Weir and the heat-exchange, a casing surrounding said conduit, projecting Wings on the conduit Within said casing, with means for applying heat to said portion of the conduit having said Wings, substantially as described.

13. The combination in a sterilizer of acasing having a tube-sheet extending across its upper part, a valve outside of the casing, a float Within the casing above said tube-sheet connected to the valve, a conduit connecting said valve and the casing, and a Weir also connected to the casing, substantially as described.

14. The combination in a sterilizer of a casing having afloat in its upper portion, a valve exterior to the casing, mechanism connecting the float and the valve, said casing having in it two compartments, one of which communicates with the space having said float, a conduit connecting the valve with said space of the casing, and a Weir connected to both com partments of the casing, substantially as described.

15. The combination of a casing having in its upper portion a float, an upper and a lower tube-sheet to the casing, and a series of tubes connecting said sheets so as to form two compartments, a Weir connected to the portion of the casing containing the float, a valve-stem operatively connected to said float, an auxiliary casing connected to a source of fluid-supply and having avalve connected to said valverod, With a conduit connecting said auxiliary casing and the portion of the main casing containing the float, substantially as described.

16. The combination ina sterilizer, of a vessel included in the main circuit of liquid to be sterilized and containing a float, a casing external to said vessel having a valve-seated passage connected to a source of fluid-supply, a Valve for the seat in the passage, and astem therefor operatively connected to the float, substantially as described.

17. The combination in a sterilizer, ofa vessel forming part of the main conduit for liquid to be treated and containing a float, a casing external to said vessel having a valveseated passage connected to a source of fluidsupply, a valve for the seat in the passage and having a longitudinally-movable stem extending through the said float-containing vessel and operatively connected to the float, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN S. FORBES. Witnesses:

WILLIAM C. BRADLEY,

J os. H. KLEIN. 

